FOOD: Sheffield craft chocolate company wins international award

Stephanie Bateman

The Academy of Chocolate celebrated the winners of its 2017 Awards at a truly glittering party in London’s legendary Claridge’s on Wednesday 19th July, bringing together the crème de la crème chocolate world.

Sheffield-based craft chocolate company Bullion have been honoured at the prestigious awards.

The awards take into consideration entries from all over the world and recognise some of the world’s finest chocolates. The judging panel includes international journalists, chefs, pastry chefs and experts in both chocolate and food.

And Bullion picked up silver and bronze in the Bean to Bar category, the standard of which was said to be ‘exceptionally high’ by the judging panel.

The No.1 bar, using beans harvested by an association of smallholder farmers on the Caribbean island of Haiti, blends together a beautiful mix of flavours with dried fig, tart cherry and roasted nuts all coming through to make a wonderful experience of tastes.

Bullion’s No. 2 bar, Alto Beni Bolivia, was also recognised in the same category. This bar was awarded bronze in the Bean to Bar category for its mix of malt, green olive and soft fruit flavours.

Bullion Chocolate is inspired by the Maya Indians, who valued the cocoa bean so much that it was used as a currency. Bullion therefore decided to source the finest cocoa beans from across the globe; and produce single origin, craft chocolate from bean to bar.

Max Scotford, founder of Bullion feels honoured to have been recognised by such a high-profile event in the form of the Academy of Chocolate.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to have received the recognition for our chocolate,” Max said.

“We have worked so hard since launching in 2016 and the growth has been phenomenal. This award has really capped off a brilliant first year for us.

“We have recently launched in Harvey Nichols in Leeds, in addition to over 10 independent coffee shops in the north of England, and we’re really excited to expand even further.”

Bullion Chocolate can be purchased online from www.bullionchocolate.com or from any of Bullion’s official stockists, which can be found here: www.bullionchocolate.com/stockists/